Fixing aqueduct will be noisy job

TOWN OF NEWBURGH — A $2.1 billion aqueduct tunnel repair project will bring more traffic and noise to the region.

Michael Novinson

TOWN OF NEWBURGH — A $2.1 billion aqueduct tunnel repair project will bring more traffic and noise to the region.

Commuters will have to wait more than 30 seconds longer at one traffic light, while a handful of homeowners will face six years of "noticeable" noise while attempting to sleep.

New York City has been unable to solve many of the noise and traffic problems associated with fixing leaks in the Delaware Aqueduct, according to a May 18 final impact study.

"The projected sources contributing to the (noise) impacts off-site would be spread out, and there would be relatively large distances between the (noise) sources and (homes)," the city's Department of Environmental Protection wrote.

The city is losing 35 million gallons of drinking water each day from tunnel leaks in Newburgh and Wawarsing. A diversion tunnel running under the Hudson River will replace cracked portions of the aqueduct in Roseton, a Newburgh hamlet.

Drivers heading south on Route 9W during morning rush hour will see their average delay at Fostertown Road increase from 2 minutes, 53 seconds to 3 minutes, 26 seconds.

During the commute home, the average northbound Route 9W delay at Fostertown Road will rise from 1 minute, 41 seconds to 2 minutes, 13 seconds.

Delays at other intersections will remain virtually unchanged through a retiming of existing lights, the city said.

At least two Newburgh residences will face considerably more noise between 2013 and 2018 during nighttime hours.

Overnight noise at Pine Road and 65 Lockwood Lane will rise by roughly five decibels. Work is scheduled 24 hours a day.

The city has offered to install storm windows and window air-conditioner units for homeowners who will subjected to significantly more noise.

One-fifth of the comments that resulted from public hearings on the project involved noise issues. In one such example from January, J. Stephen Casscles commented, "Such high noise levels will damage the health and general well being of those affected. More needs to be done."

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